Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Apple cider: 2 1/2 cups (590 ml), reduced to 1 cup
- All-purpose flour: 2 3/4 cups (345 g)
- Baking powder: 1 1/2 tsp; baking soda: 1/2 tsp; kosher salt: 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 2 tsp; ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp; allspice: 1/4 tsp
- Unsalted butter: 6 tbsp (85 g) softened + 5 tbsp (70 g) melted, divided
- Neutral oil: 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Granulated sugar: 1 cup (200 g) + 3/4 cup (150 g) for coating
- Light brown sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g)
- Eggs: 3 large; vanilla extract: 1 tbsp
- Sour cream: 3/4 cup (180 g), full-fat
- Powdered sugar: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) for glaze
- Extra cinnamon for coating: 2 tsp; pinch nutmeg
Do This
- 1) Simmer 2 1/2 cups cider until reduced to 1 cup; cool. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan.
- 2) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- 3) Cream 6 tbsp butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- 4) Mix in dry ingredients alternately with 3/4 cup reduced cider and sour cream until smooth.
- 5) Bake 45–55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, invert. Brush warm cake with 5 tbsp melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
- 6) Whisk glaze (powdered sugar + 1/4 cup reduced cider + pinch cinnamon + 1 tbsp melted butter). Drizzle and set 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the nostalgia of a farm-stand apple cider doughnut, baked into a moist Bundt cake.
- Apple flavor that pops thanks to a quick homemade cider reduction.
- Double finish: a crackly cinnamon-sugar coat plus a shiny spiced cider glaze.
- Simple pantry ingredients, no mixer drama—just comforting fall baking.
Grocery List
- Produce: Fresh apple cider (not vinegar)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, sour cream, eggs
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar, neutral oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice
Full Ingredients
Spiced Cider Reduction
- Apple cider: 2 1/2 cups (590 ml), reduced to 1 cup (240 ml)
- Optional: 1 small cinnamon stick for simmering (remove after reduction)
Cake Batter
- All-purpose flour: 2 3/4 cups (345 g)
- Baking powder: 1 1/2 tsp
- Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
- Kosher salt: 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 2 tsp
- Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
- Ground allspice: 1/4 tsp
- Unsalted butter: 6 tbsp (85 g), softened
- Neutral oil (canola or vegetable): 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Granulated sugar: 1 cup (200 g)
- Light brown sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g), packed
- Large eggs: 3, room temperature
- Vanilla extract: 1 tbsp
- Reduced apple cider: 3/4 cup (180 ml), cooled
- Full-fat sour cream: 3/4 cup (180 g), room temperature
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- Unsalted butter: 5 tbsp (70 g), melted
- Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150 g)
- Ground cinnamon: 2 tsp
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Spiced Cider Glaze
- Powdered sugar: 1 1/2 cups (180 g), sifted
- Reduced apple cider: 1/4 cup (60 ml), cooled
- Unsalted butter: 1 tbsp (14 g), melted
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 1/4 tsp
- Pinch kosher salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Reduce the cider
In a medium saucepan, simmer 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) apple cider over medium heat (add an optional cinnamon stick) until reduced to exactly 1 cup (240 ml), 18–25 minutes. The bubbles will tighten and the cider will look slightly syrupy. Remove the cinnamon stick if used. Cool to room temperature. You will use 3/4 cup for the batter and 1/4 cup for the glaze.
Step 2: Prep the oven and Bundt pan
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 10–12 cup Bundt pan with baking spray that contains flour, or butter it thoroughly and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Pay special attention to all the ridges to ensure a clean release.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined. This evenly disperses the leavening and spices for a uniform crumb.
Step 4: Cream the fats and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla
In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy and slightly lightened, 2–3 minutes (hand mixer on medium or vigorous whisking). Beat in the oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
Step 5: Bring the batter together
Stir 3/4 cup (180 ml) cooled reduced cider into the sour cream. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the cider–sour cream mixture in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Scrape the bowl and fold to ensure an even batter; it will be thick and silky.
Step 6: Bake the cake
Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–55 minutes, until the top springs back and a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes (the cake should still be warm but set), then invert onto a rack or serving plate.
Step 7: Coat with cinnamon sugar
Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Brush the warm cake all over with 5 tbsp melted butter, working it into the ridges. Sprinkle and gently press the cinnamon sugar over every surface until well coated. Work over parchment to catch excess and reuse as needed.
Step 8: Make and drizzle the spiced cider glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar with 1/4 cup reduced cider, 1 tbsp melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. If needed, thin with 1–2 tsp more cider or thicken with extra powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cooled, sugar-coated cake, letting it cascade down the Bundt ridges. Let the glaze set 15–20 minutes before slicing.
Pro Tips
- Reduce the cider ahead: cool completely so it doesn’t curdle the batter or melt the glaze.
- Grease the pan meticulously, then dust with flour if not using baking spray with flour. This prevents missing chunks on unmolding.
- Coat while warm: the melted butter and cinnamon sugar adhere best when the cake is warm, not hot.
- For neat glaze lines, transfer the cake to a rack set over parchment, glaze, then move to a clean platter once set.
- Weigh your flour if possible (345 g) to avoid a dry cake.
Variations
- Brown Butter Boost: Brown the 6 tbsp butter for the batter until nutty and amber, cool, then proceed for deeper flavor.
- Maple-Cider Glaze: Swap half the cider in the glaze for pure maple syrup and reduce powdered sugar by 2–3 tbsp.
- Apple Bits: Fold in 1 cup finely diced, peeled apple tossed with 1 tsp flour for pops of fruit in the crumb.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cinnamon sugar stays crispest on day 1–2; for best texture, glaze the day you serve. To freeze, wrap ungrazed slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, brush with a little melted butter, dust with cinnamon sugar, and glaze just before serving. To refresh, warm slices at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for 14 servings: 480 calories; 24 g fat; 63 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 40 g sugars; 1 g fiber; 260 mg sodium.
